Enigmatic Anomaly
by inuyashagirl5
Summary: InuYYH Xover. An abrupt visit to Genkai's temple leaves Hiei curious to the actions between a priestess, a fox demon and his teammates. Kagx?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Enigmatic Anomaly

**Author: **inuyashagirl5

**Rating: **M

**Genre: **Action/Humor/Romance

**Pairings: **Kagome/?? (unknown at this time), Other pairings may pop up during the fic.

**Warnings: **Violence, Suggestive Situations and Adult Language.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

* * *

Chapter One: 

It hadn't taken more than a few seconds before Hiei realized that there was a different aura amongst the others within the temple, an aura that felt really pure. However, he hadn't much time to contemplate that. One, he was being followed and he couldn't stop to deal with the situation on his own. Two, there was a very unconscious and extremely bloodied and battered Kurama on his back. Getting his partner inside, and away from danger was his top priority, that and making sure the danger went nowhere near Yukina. He would have brought Kurama elsewhere, but time would not permit that. It wasn't likely that the fox wouldn't live much longer and the only hope lie with his sister.

He felt momentary relief when familiar auras came to his aide, the first being Yusuke who cut off the trio of demons following him, giving him enough time to slip through the hallways unimpeded. The second two that met him were Yukina and Genkai, both ushering him into a back room. He set Kurama down on the floor gently and turned his ruby eyes to Yukina, who nodded in silent understanding. She'd do what she could and could only pray it'd be enough.

Behind them the door crashed open, two of the three demons coming in, one quickly knocking away Genkai. Hiei unsheathed his katana, flinching just slightly when pain flared up his left arm reminding him of his own injuries. He couldn't think about that now, he had to protect his sister, Genkai and one of the few people he truly considered a friend who was still barely clinging to life.

One of the assailants lifted Genkai up by her throat, using her as a means to taunt Hiei into acting before thinking. Too bad for him he didn't sense the fast approaching female until it was too late and her hand had already pierced through his chest cavity and took a firm grasp of his heart. Hiei blinked at the girl. He hadn't heard her, or sensed her approach, though her aura definitely was the one he had felt when he had first approached the temple.

"Release her lightly and I may let you live." Her voice was soft and delicate, something that totally offset her actions. The demon hesitated and she reminded him just how close to death he already was. He dropped Genkai to the wooden floor below and the girl did a good imitation of an intimidating growl. "I said lightly, asshole."

The burst was quick, the demon being purified from the inside out, leaving no mess behind. The girl turned her attention to the other offending demon, her right hand raising in his direction and taking on a very deadly glow. Hiei stepped back as the girl walked forward, making the intruder walk backwards and away from those in the room.

"I know who you are...you are her..." The demon rasped out, a sickening grin splitting his face and baring yellowish fangs, "Yes, the guardian...you are her."

"What of it?" The girl let a small blast go and he dodged, moving towards an open window. She lowered her palm slightly, using her index finger to point at him as he climbed upon the sill.

"Others will know...I'll tell them...you'll die."

"Unlikely." The shot of energy game from her fingertip with skilled control and looked very much like an arrow as it flew, hitting its intended target with ease and evaporating him into nothing.

The girl ignored Hiei as she hurried past him to check on Genkai, who was slowly starting to move and sit up. They exchanged a few hushed words and the girl's eyes darted over in Kurama's direction a few times while she nodded. She stood quickly and hurried over to kneel next to Yukina and Hiei's aura flared in warning, but the girl ignored him completely.

"He's not going to make it, is he, Kagome?" Yukina asked sadly, her own healing energy was having very little effect. Before Kagome could answer the phone in her pocket began to rumble and she withdrew it to see who was calling. She flipped it open.

"Perfect timing, I need you at the temple now. Hurry, I need your help healing a demon. Seriously, get the fuck over here!" She clicked the phone shut and slid it on the floor behind her. "There's still a chance, Yukina. I need you to go out front, get Yusuke to go with you, and wait for a red fox to show up. See to it that he comes in immediately."

Yukina didn't respond to her words and hurried out of the room. Kagome refocused her attention on the male in front of her, her palm coming up over his chest. Her eyes snapped up when the other demon in the room snarled at her. She cast Genkai a concerned glance and the old woman stepped up next to Hiei.

"Quit it you idiot! She's my pupil, she's not going to hurt him. She's probably his only chance at survival."

"Besides, you're injured already and terribly fatigued. You should at least rest." Kagome bit out, her energy coming out to swirl in her palm.

"Get back here you little shit!" Yusuke's voice bellowed out down the hallway, and the unmistakable aura of her dear friend filled the hallways.

"He's here already. Quick little shit he is. Master Genkai please let him in before Yusuke kills him."

Genkai slid the door open just in time for a four-tailed red fox to come flying through the doors and land with a skid next to Kagome. With a soft pop, the fox took on his humanoid form, appearing to look no older than the girl next to him.

"Holy shit! You didn't tell me it was Youko Kurama that needed the help!" The fox yelped and Kagome was quick to slap the back of his head with her free hand. "Sorry, sorry!"

The occupants of the room gathered around to watch the girl and the fox demon work together trying to heal Kurama. The fox set about concocting a medicine from different herbs and seeds, while the girl's healing energy, an energy far more potent than Yukina's, poured into the gaping chest wound. It was closing quickly and Kurama's color was darkening little by little, signs that he was likely to pull through. The fox swirled around a reddish-green substance and then motioned for Yusuke to help prop the unconscious male up. With little effort he poured the substance down the throat and almost immediately Kurama's aura flared to life and he shifted from being a red-head into the unmistakable form of Youko. Kagome ceased the flow of her energy and waited. A few seconds passed, and then a beautiful set of golden orbs cracked open.

Hiei breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed things had turned out alright, though he had far too many questions he wanted answered. Who were the pair that helped Kurama? The girl was clearly a priestess, but why would she be working with a demon to heal another demon? That didn't make sense at all.

As Youko's vision cleared, he recognized the faces of everyone around him and he blinked. How did he get to Genkai's temple? Better yet, what the hell was Shippo doing there as well?

"Kit..." He strained, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.

"Easy there, boss. Don't move so much just yet." Shippo replied frowning, he moved to take over Yusuke's position. This wasn't at all how he pictured being reunited with his old acquaintance. Then again, it was only in the past couple years that he learned Youko Kurama was still alive, just not in his own body.

"Shippo's right, Youko. Your chest was wide open and you're lucky your heart didn't fall out. You should thank shorty over there for bringing you here. You probably would have died if he hadn't." Kagome stood slowly, feeling the familiar numbness in her fingers, "Ah, fuck. I'm tapped again...I need far more work. Yukina, could you see to his injuries please?"

She pointed in Hiei's direction and Yukina nodded and hurried to his side, healing the open wound on the back of his shoulder. He gave a barely audible thank you to his sister as she finished up. Hiei turned his attention to Kagome again and silently wondered how long she had been within the temple. She hadn't been there two months ago when he had last stopped by to check on Yukina, but she seemed to be on friendly terms with everyone, Kurama included.

_'I wonder why he never mentioned her before?'_

Shippo let out a small startled cry as Youko once again receded and let his red-headed counterpart reemerge. Kurama cringed in the younger fox's arms and groaned at the dull pain in his chest and head. He hadn't felt this much pain in awhile.

"Get him to bed, Shippo. He shouldn't be moving around like that." Kagome instructed and Shippo agreed. He scooped Kurama up bridal style and grinned when the one in his arms growled in annoyance.

"Speaking of rest, " Yusuke grinned, copying Shippo in lifting the girl into his arms, "I do believe you've over exerted yourself again, Kagome."

"If I wasn't so drained, I'd kick your ass, Yusuke." She countered, slapping his shoulder lightly. "So, you're lucky this time."

It was three hours later when both Kagome and Kurama made their way towards the kitchen, both of them discussing what had happened just that morning that caused him to be so badly injured. Kagome learned that Kurama and Hiei were simply patrolling the borders as usual, and were ambushed by a large group of demons. They had taken out many of them before he had even gotten injured. All Kurama could remember was falling and then waking up in the back of Youko's mind before the silver fox pushed him forward so he could rest.

"I didn't know you were still close to that other fox, Kagome. I admit, I'm jealous." Kurama teased as they entered the empty kitchen.

"I know, I can tell. I see the way you look at me when I flirt with him. I'm only playing and Shippo knows that, but I'll lay off it if you want him that badly." She retorted with a smirk, "And don't say that you're not attracted to him, I'd never believe you."

"Believe what you want, Kagome." Kurama smiled at her, "But I'm far more jealous of all the attention he gets from you. I wish you'd dote on me in such a manner."

"Oh!" Kagome mock pouted and threw her arms around Kurama's neck, pulling him in for a hug. "I should have known better. You foxes would wilt away into nothing if you didn't have some affectionate contact!"

Yusuke cleared his throat, making both of the kitchen's occupants to turn their heads to look at him, and the two others with him.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything. We can leave if you'd like? Just please don't do any of that stuff on the kitchen table...we eat there." Yusuke replied with a smirk, pleased at how easy it was to get them both to blush. They slowly separated and shared a glance and a nod. They turned their eyes back to Yusuke, who gulped before fleeing.

"Get back here you prick!" Kagome yelled, darting between Shippo and Hiei in pursuit of Yusuke. Kurama gave chase as well, though taking a different direction than both Kagome and Yusuke.

"This is going to be too good to miss." Shippo laughed, following the direction Kurama had taken, leaving Hiei standing there staring at an empty kitchen. He blinked once, debating whether or not to see what trouble Yusuke was facing. Hoping for a little more insight to the female, he followed the direction she had taken.

The sight that he came across was quite curious. Yusuke and Kagome were sparring with one another, cursing frequently and making the pair of foxes laugh at their silly antics. Finally Yusuke had bested the girl, pinning her to the ground and making a lewd comment that had her face turning red in anger. She was easily provoked, it seemed. Hiei would remember that for a later date if he needed it. He continued to watch as the girl tried to shove Yusuke off of her and failing in her attempts.

"No, please keep struggling, Kagome. I like it." Yusuke wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner and she shrieked at him.

"Get off of me you fucking pervert!" She struggled more, but Yusuke refused to release her.

"Not without a kiss first." He grinned and laughed at the disbelief etched on the girl's face.

"Blech! No way!"

Hiei watched the antics of those before him. The way they interacted on such a friendly level annoyed him. How on Earth could they be so close? How the hell did they know each other?

"Ah ha ha ha!" The girl's laughter bothered him the most because the smile that accompanied it was real, but her eyes were the opposite. They held an unmistakable amount of sadness and pain. Somehow the girl had suffered and he was beginning to wonder how and why.

"All right, woman." Yusuke jumped to his feet and nimbly dodged Kagome's kick, "I do believe it's lunch time and you owe me."

"Yeah, yeah." Kagome allowed Yusuke to help her to her feet, "And what did you have in mind, oh great Urameshi?"

"Pizza?"

"I should have known!" Kagome laughed, "Good thing Yukina and I went shopping yesterday. You guys should go watch a movie or something while I cook. Shippo, stay out of trouble."

"Of course, Kagome!" Shippo grinned at her before following Yusuke and Kurama inside.

Lunch went well and Hiei silently watched the group's interactions more. Shippo and Kurama spoke a bit of their past together, letting Kagome know just what the kit had done after she had left.

"You don't strike me as being that old." Hiei spoke up and Kagome's head snapped up to look at him, clearly surprised that he said something.

"It's Hiei, right?" She asked and he nodded once. "Well, I'm not old at all. I used to be a time traveler, but that ceased about seven months ago. I met Shippo back when he was just a little kit and when I was returning home for good I entrusted him into the care of Youko."

"So you already know Youko as well?"

"Yes. We were re-introduced a couple months ago, and I let him know that I was in contact with Shippo as well."

"And you met Yusuke when?"

"When I first came here six months ago. He's been staying with Genkai since his mother's death and because _that girl _dumped him." She scowled as she recalled how broken and upset Yusuke had been when she arrived. It had gotten her so pissed off that she wanted to go and find the girl, even though she didn't know her. She was still willing to go and smack the girl to this day.

"Kagome doesn't like Keiko." Yusuke stated and snickered, "It's a good thing she keeps away from the temple when Kagome is here. Although, I wouldn't mind seeing a nice cat fight."

"It wouldn't be a cat fight. I'd kill her." Kagome chucked her fork in his direction and he caught it with little effort. After seeing her actions earlier, Hiei was inclined to believe her. "Alright, so I wouldn't kill her. I would leave her with quite a few bruises and definitely a bald head."

Yusuke choked on the pizza in his mouth as images of a bald Keiko filtered into his head. Shippo patted him a few times on the back, trying his best to be concerned and not laugh, though Kagome had no problems laughing at her friend. Yusuke growled in annoyance at her laughter, giving her a look that clearly stated he was clearly displeased. A soft squeak left her a second before the two of them were jumping up from their seats and darting out the kitchen doorway, Yusuke only a few feet behind Kagome. There was a loud thud down the hallway, followed by Kagome yelling out, attempting to tell Yusuke to stop, but she was laughing too hard to get many words out.

Hiei discreetly let his eyes pass back and forth between the two foxes left in the room. Neither made a move to go help the girl and they wore very similar smirks as the laughter ceased for a few moments. He was sure he was missing the joke of it all, but it didn't matter when he heard Yusuke's loud curse and then both him and Kagome ran past the kitchen doorway again. This time the pair of foxes gracefully rose to their feet and moved to follow them.

"We can't let it get too out of hand now, can we?" Shippo asked and Kurama shook his head.

"No, no we can't." Came Kurama's reply.

Hiei watched them leave, once again they followed after Yusuke and Kagome and he wondered if this happened often when he wasn't around. His gaze shifted to the open kitchen window as the girl slipped in quickly and landed easily on the floor in front of the sink. She ducked down as she heard the trio of males outside ask where she had gone. She giggled softly and paused as an amused snort met her ears. She glanced over at Hiei, who still sat where he had been during lunch.

"Um...you didn't see me." She grinned and ran once again out the kitchen door. He watched her go and made a silent vow to himself. He wanted to know more about her. He wanted to know what his teammates and that other fox saw in her. He wanted to know just why one of her kind was associating with demons as if they were all equal.

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A/N: All characters are 19 and older. Yes, Shippo looks around the same age as the rest of them and yes, he could potentially be paired up with Kagome. The pairing isn't set yet because I'm still debating a few things. Could she possibly be paired with more than one? Maybe. I've never gone that route, so it could happen as I sometimes like to try new things when writing. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Enigmatic Anomaly

**Author: **inuyashagirl5

**Rating: **M

**Genre: **Action/Humor/Romance

**Pairings: **Kagome/?? (unknown at this time), Other pairings may pop up during the fic.

**Warnings: **Violence, Suggestive Situations and Adult Language.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

* * *

Chapter Two:

He had already seen the girl go through a myriad of moods and emotions and he had only been within the temple for three days. Just that morning the girl had been in tears, though the reason why was still unknown to some of them. A few minutes after Shippo consoled her, she was swiping at his head and chasing him down through the long hallways. Apparently it had become a common occurrence in Genkai's temple. If she wasn't chasing one of them, then they were chasing her and more often than not it resulted in playful sparring.

But, the tantrum she was throwing now was both annoying and a bit amusing to Hiei. She was cursing about her mother. The other three were laughing at her, further frustrating her. She stalked away from them while shouting out promises of death and torture. Kagome was absolutely livid and out of curiosity, Hiei followed after her as she slammed open the door to the dojo.

"I swear she does it because it amuses her." Kagome muttered as she continued into the dojo. She whirled around and faced Hiei as he entered in behind her. "The nerve of her! If I was capable of harming my family, she would be first!"

Hiei said nothing, letting the girl rant as she spun back around and landed an impressive, solid right hook to the punching bag in front of her. She continued to punch the bag, grumbling and cursing the whole time. She was mid-way through a sentence when she stopped and turned back to face him. She didn't say anything, she just simply stared at him.

"What?" He finally asked after her staring lasted for at least a minute. It was really starting to get on his nerves.

"I'm going to use it to my advantage." She smirked, "That'll teach them to laugh at me. Thanks, Hiei! Remind me later to thank my mother too!"

She left him standing there, quite confused and just a little curious. Her mood had switched again within a few seconds as did her feelings for her mother. He was beginning to think that she was either crazy, or had split personalities.

He rejoined his teammates and the fox demon in the kitchen. They each gave him questioning glances, though Yusuke's bordered on a glare. He paid them no mind and sat down.

"She's up to something." Shippo resumed the conversation they had stopped when Hiei had entered. "I know that look she had in her eyes. She's got something planned and I bet it has to do with her a guest that's coming here."

"Yes, but the question is, if she does have something planned, who is going to be effected by it? Will it be us, or will it be this Hojo fellow that is paying her a visit?"

At Kurama's question, Hiei snorted. He found all eyes on him yet again, but he said nothing, knowing that they wanted him to speak. Tough luck for them. He was going to let them suffer.

"You know something, don't you?" Yusuke leaned in closer, his face only a few inches from Hiei's. Hiei narrowed his ruby eyes.

"Get out of my face before I castrate you."

"As if you could."

"Would you like me to prove it?"

"No bloodshed in the kitchen!" Kagome's voice rang out seconds before she cuffed the back of Yusuke's head. He shrunk back into his seat, scowling and holding the spot she had hit.

"Dammit, Kagome, that..." His shout died off abruptly, making the other three males look over at Kagome. She already had her back turned to them, her arm reaching up in an attempt to grab a cup off a higher shelf. The motion made the short black skirt she was wearing ride up higher, revealing more of the backs of her toned, tan thighs.

"That what, Yusuke?" Kagome questioned, a soft, annoyed moan escaped her lips _intentionally _as she reached up a little further, "Almost there...just a little more."

"Let me help you with that!" Shippo and Kurama both spoke and rose to their feet at the same time. They shot each other a glare, that was interrupted as Yusuke cut between them. He stepped up behind Kagome, reaching over her head. His fingers brushed lightly over the back of her hand before he grabbed ahold of the cup she was reaching for.

"Oh dear!" Kagome mock gasped. She snatched the cup out of his hands and using her hip, she bumped him to the side. "Thank you, Yusuke. It was very sweet of you to help me."

"When you dress like this, I'm willing to help you with anything." He quipped playfully. "Of course, if you continue to dress like this, I may need _your _help with something else."

"In your dreams." She sneered at him and he smirked.

"Yes, you are often in my wet dreams."

"Stupid pervert!" Kagome glared at him half-heartedly and gave him a little shove, "Oh yeah. Just so you know, I spoke to Hojo a short while ago. The two of us are going to head to the nearby lake to do some swimming. We won't be too long though because a couple of his friends will be waiting for him."

"Sounds like fun. Count me in!" Shippo replied, much like Kagome knew he would.

"That's not going to happen, Shippo. Hojo and I need to talk alone. I mean, he can be shy sometimes. What if he's going to confess his feelings for me?" She managed to keep a straight face as she watched three of the four demons in the room scowl. What they didn't know was that Hojo had a girlfriend and he really was only visiting to check on her health. She wasn't going to tell them that though.

"But, Kagome!" Shippo resorted to whining, something she usually couldn't resist, but this time she had to just to make the situation more interesting.

"No." She said firmly. "I'm going alone and that is that."

She knew they would follow anyways. Shippo would want to keep an eye on her and he would use that as an excuse to get Yusuke and Kurama to go too. Then, if things went awry and they got caught, Yusuke and Kurama would blame it all on Shippo.

"Can't I at least walk you there? It's dangerous around here! You know that!" Shippo protested more.

"He is right, Kagome. I know you can take care of yourself if you're faced by one or two low level demons, but you could be attacked by far more than that here." Kurama interjected.

"The answer is still no. Give it up." She ignored the two persistent foxes and got herself a drink of water. She didn't have much time until Hojo arrived and she wanted to be ready. She glanced at Yusuke who opened his mouth to speak, "No."

"I didn't get to say anything!"

"I know! Imagine that!" Kagome laughed and set her cup in the sink. "It's a change for you, isn't it, bigmouth?"

"That'll cost ya!"

"Fat chance."

"Um, Kagome?" Yukina poked her head in the kitchen doorway, "There is a young man here to see you."

"Thank you, Yukina." Kagome responded and twirled around towards the doorway, effectively getting her skirt to flare outwards. "Well, I'm off! You boys behave yourselves while I'm gone!"

They sat immobile as she left, not even muttering a goodbye as she strode out of the kitchen. Shippo and Kurama shared a look before looking towards Yusuke. All at once, the three of them broke into a run from the kitchen, leaving Hiei sitting there alone and confused. He rose to his feet slowly and followed after them. He wanted to know what the hell they were up to this time.

He found them standing in the hallway near the front door of the temple, watching Kagome as she greeted the male he assumed was Hojo. Kurama and Shippo were muttering quietly about how much the male didn't deserve Kagome and Yusuke was scowling darkly at him. The boy was oblivious to the hostility, his eyes only on the girl as they talked. Her smile was fake, he noted and wondered why it was so. Weren't they close friends? Couldn't the others see the falsity of it?

Apparently not, because they were jealous of the interactions, especially when Kagome took the boy's hand into hers and pulled him from the temple.

"We're going." Yusuke growled after the door had closed. He spun around and started walking down the hallway, "Get dressed to go swimming. There is no way I'm letting that runt continue touching her."

"Possessive much?" Shippo muttered with a smirk as he and Kurama moved towards their own rooms. Kurama chuckled.

"Only a little bit."

It didn't take any of them long to change into suitable swimming attire, with the exception of Hiei who remained unchanged. He followed the trio as they rushed out of the temple after Kagome and Hojo. Kurama had suggested they take the shortcut to get to the lake before Kagome. The path through the forest was quicker and any demons nearby knew better than to mess with any of them.

Upon arriving at the lake, Kagome scowled at the four males lounging on the beach further ahead. None of them looked her way and Hojo didn't show any care or concern about them being there, so Kagome led him in the opposite direction down the beach. She was sure that at least one of the boys would interrupt them at some point, though she hoped it was after she revealed her swimsuit.

It wasn't like she didn't know that Yusuke was attracted to her, or that Kurama sometimes gave her looks that just screamed that he wished to devour her whole.

Kurama often found ways to touch her. Whether it was just a small pat on her head or a gentle caress to her cheek, he would show her through those actions that he cared for her. He was always a perfect gentleman on the rare occasions they could go out and his chivalrous qualities were very appealing and so opposite of Yusuke.

Yusuke, however, was much more brash with his actions. He had never been a think first and ask questions later sort of guy and that came through when he was with her. Every thing he did, he did without thinking and that included the few times he had been bold enough to kiss her.

Though, she did slap him the first time because he had been drunk and bitching about Keiko. In one moment he was spouting off angry words about the girl, and in the next, he had Kagome pinned to the wall and his tongue invading her mouth. She had slapped him unconscious and left him where he had fallen, leaving Genkai and Yukina to check on his well being and make sure the idiot didn't choke on his own vomit while he was out.

After that, there had been a few random kisses exchanged between the two of them, including the one the day before when he had tackled her and pinned her to the floor in the hallway. But, Kagome always made it a point to keep them short. As nice as the attention was, she wasn't ready to jump into a relationship, and Yusuke knew that.

She had priorities that needed to be handled first. Most important of them all being that she once again housed the artifact known as the Shikon no Tama and she needed to be strong enough to protect it and herself. She didn't have a protector anymore and she didn't want anyone else to step into that role. That was why she was staying with Genkai, so she could learn to protect herself.

Though, the old woman had refused at first, saying she was retired and no longer took on pupils. It took quite a bit of convincing on Kagome's behalf to get her to agree. Her temper had gotten the best of her and in one small moment of anger and frustration, her control on her power had slipped.

It had surprised Genkai, feeling the force of the wave of energy her body had released in her anger. It proved that Kagome was telling the truth and her agreement to train her came seconds before Koenma had arrived to confirm what had been felt. Kagome's story was apparently well known in the Reikai, as made apparent when Koenma addressed _her _with such polite formality. He expressed a great need to get her trained, to which Genkai had called him a fool and ushered Kagome into her temple. She'd been there ever since, only leaving once a week or so to visit her family.

"The atmosphere is very clean, Kagome. It's no wonder why you came out here. It has to be good for your health!" Hojo broke the silence, bringing Kagome out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, it's done wonders." She rolled her eyes, though he didn't see it. "The place I'm staying at is nice and quiet. I'm able to rest and relax."

"That's wonderful, Kagome!" Hojo smiled, "You deserve it!"

Kagome didn't want to burst his happy little bubble by telling him the truth about the place she was staying. It was time to divert the attention elsewhere before he questioned her about it. She wanted to get her plan in motion too.

"I know you can't stay too long. So, we should probably get our swimming in now. I don't want to make your girlfriend wait too long for you."

"She'll be fine for a bit. She said she had a few friends that lived in the area that she could visit."

Kagome frowned at those words because no one lived anywhere near Genkai's temple. No one for many, many miles.

Hojo kicked his shoes off first, making Kagome push the thought aside and follow his lead. Little by little she stripped down to the small, yet modest, blue bikini underneath.

Half tempted to glance in the boy's direction, Kagome decided to focus on only Hojo for the time being. The boys would get themselves involved soon enough.

"Ka-Kagome!" Hojo sputtered and turned his head away, blushing madly. "What are you doing?"

"Going swimming?" She offered and inwardly giggled. Hojo's reaction, while surprising, was wholly entertaining. He was clearly uncomfortable being near her while she was in so little.

"Yes, but..." He lowered his voice and looked around the beach, his eyes finally landing where Yusuke and the others sat, "What you're wearing is indecent. You are attracting unneeded attention."

"Unneeded attention?" She innocently glanced over her shoulder, her eyes meeting with Kurama's first and then Yusuke's before she looked back up at Hojo.

"You really should keep yourself covered, Kagome. All of this should be saved for your husband." He held his shirt out to her, but she didn't take it.

She had always known he was a bit old fashioned, but this...

"Do you really think that?"

"Yes! A real woman would maintain her modesty and wait to show that much flesh only to her husband!" He eyed her for a quick second before looking away just as quick and attempting again to give her his shirt. Kagome didn't let her amusement show, but it was fun to watch him struggle with keeping his attention off of her.

"Are you gay? I mean, it's fine if you are, but, no real guy would complain about seeing the girl he used to like dressed in a bikini." She crossed her arms over her chest, and as she expected, his eyes followed the motion before darting away. _'Definitely not gay.'_

"I am not gay!" Hojo shouted out, "I'm surprised to hear you speak that way! You grew up on a shrine! A real priestess would dress modestly!"

_'And a real priestess would purify you right now if you were a demon, idiot!' _Kagome scowled at the delusional boy. "If you want me to put my clothing back on just say so, Hojo. I am obviously making you uncomfortable."

Before Hojo could reply, Yusuke's voice called out, bringing her attention to him and the others. She hadn't noticed how close they had gotten. Hojo hadn't either and Kagome wondered why the boy grew pale at Yusuke's approach.

"Yeah, you're making me uncomfortable too!" Yusuke remarked with a smirk, "But, I'd like it better if you took the rest off!"

"Ugh! You're such a fucking pervert, Yusuke!"

"Kagome! When on Earth did you start speaking like that?" Caught off guard by her vulgar words, Hojo glanced briefly at Yusuke before shaking his head back and forth, "No. It's obvious where you picked it up. No matter! You can leave tonight! I'll help you pack. I can take better care of you at my house anyways. You know you've always been welcomed there."

"She's not leaving." Yusuke stated, annoyed with the guy's ignorance, yet amused by his sudden bravery. Though, that was short lived.

"What?" Hojo's wide eyes snapped to Yusuke and toushin couldn't help but to incite more fear into the boy.

"You heard me." Yusuke cracked his knuckles while he stepped forward, "Kagome is not leaving with you."

Kagome knew she had to diffuse this situation and fast. Hojo would never be able to stand up against Yusuke, even if he held back. Stepping between Hojo and the still approaching Yusuke, she held her arms out in front of her, fully prepared to stop Yusuke from harming Hojo.

"Yusuke, knock it off." She narrowed her eyes at the glare he gave her.

"No, let him, Kagome. I'm not afraid of him." Hojo pushed her to the side a little harder than he had meant to, and she stumbled before a pair of unfamiliar arms encircled her waist and righted her.

"You must have a death wish." Hiei replied while glaring at Hojo, who didn't look pleased that someone else was touching Kagome. Not that Hiei cared at all what the stupid human felt, but just to piss him off more, he let his hands slowly slide from Kagome's waist, letting his fingers brush over the flesh of her stomach and sides before pulling back completely. Hojo's eyes narrowed at him, Hiei could care less.

"Thank you, Hiei." Kagome replied softly, though she was caught off guard with his closeness. His only reply was a short nod and then his focus, and a devious smirk, was back on Hojo.

"I won't let him corrupt you anymore, Kagome. I know you have an affinity for guys like him, but you can change. I have faith in you." He held his hand out for her to take, and she only stared at it.

_'An affinity for guys like...Yusuke?' _ She glanced up at Yusuke with a speculative gaze.

"You're an idiot." The words slipped from her lips before she realized it and Yusuke stopped his advance to laugh.

"Kagome?" Hojo was confused at her hurtful words and dropped his hand to his side. She had never called him that before.

"Um...what I mean is...You don't know anything about me, Hojo, or what my taste in guys is like." Kagome answered. _'Though...I do tend to fall for loud, stubborn, easily angered, quick to act without thinking...hmm, maybe he has a point?'_

There was no denying that she liked Yusuke, and she had caught herself a few times staring at different parts of his body.

_'Lips, bare chest, his backside...'_

She blushed and turned her head to the side. Now was not the time to be picturing a mostly naked Yusuke.

"Don't be silly, Kagome. Yuka told me all about that two-timing jerk. This thug is no different." Hojo jerked his thumb in Yusuke's direction. Yusuke snarled and drew back his fist to punch him in his mouth, except Hojo was already sprawled out unconscious on the beach before him and Kagome's aura was crackling viciously.

"If you ever speak about Inuyasha like that again I'll disembowel you!" Her fists were clenched at her sides as she yelled down at the boy.

"Stupid idiot shouldn't have said that." Shippo muttered, "Then again, he doesn't know anything about Inuyasha."

Hiei was standing completely still, slightly startled that the little human female could hit hard enough to knock out a male that was not only taller, but heavier than her too. Then again, now that he recalled it, she had shoved her hand into a demon's chest just a few days earlier. She was stronger than most humans he knew.

"Oh! Ow! Ow!" Kagome shook her right hand out and pouted, "Stupid jerk!"

The others laughed at her, but Hiei remained silent and observant, still uncertain with the situation at hand. Who was this girl really?

"Let me see it." Kurama stepped forward and she held her injured hand up for his perusal. He kissed her knuckles, drawing out a blush easily. Then he was leading her away and to the cold lake.

"Ah, fuck!" Yusuke groaned, his dark eyes fixed mostly on Kagome's backside, "I should really learn some first aid! Damn Kurama for knowing everything!"

"I thought it was common knowledge that cold stuff helps with bruised appendages?" Shippo quipped playfully and laughed.

"Shut up, runt." Yusuke tore his gaze off of Kagome's backside reluctantly.

"I think it's safe to say that what ever her plan was, it didn't go as planned." Shippo added as an afterthought, then shrugged. "Oh well."

"We'll make her tell us later."

A soft groan arouse from Hojo before he slowly blinked open the one eye that wasn't swelling shut. Shippo grinned and leaned down over him.

"Word of advice, never, ever, say anything about Inuyasha to Kagome. She loved him. He died protecting her." Shippo offered to help him up and Hojo accepted, clearly confused and upset. "You're lucky she only punched you."

"I should go." Hojo said somberly, "Kagome doesn't want to see me, so I won't make it difficult for her. Just, tell her she can call me...if she wants to."

"You have my word that I will tell her." Shippo replied and then Hojo was walking away in a hurry, obviously eager to leave. Yusuke sneered at his retreating back and growled lowly at the boy's cowardice.

"Idiot."

"It's not broken, Kagome, just bruised." Kurama brushed his thumb over her knuckles and smiled at her, "It was a good right hook though. You have been practicing with Yusuke."

"Daily!" Kagome answered with a grin, "But, I prefer my time with Master Genkai more. Don't tell Yusuke I said that."

"I won't."

"Good." Kagome snatched her hand away, and before Kurama could even blink, she had shoved him backwards into the lake. "Oh my, Kurama! I didn't know you wanted to go for a swim that badly!"

"You should run now." Kurama's voice, the usual, pleasing tenor, had been replaced by something lower and huskier. He raised hi eyes up and smirked when Kagome's eyes widened in recognition. "Run."

"Oh shit!" She darted to hide behind Shippo, "Stay away from me, Youko! Oh hey...where did Hojo go?"

"I'm deeply offended, Kagome. You dare worry over that insignificant human waste while I am after you?" Youko growled playfully, now having full control.

"Eep!" Kagome shoved Shippo forward, though it did nothing to help her since both foxes easily avoided colliding with one another, and Shippo looked deeply hurt that she had used him as a weapon.

"Ka-go-me! That wasn't very nice!" Shippo whined.

"I'll make it up to you with Pocky, just don't let him...ah!" Kagome was startled when both of her wrists were pulled behind her back. She struggled to get free, but it was no use and Yusuke chuckled.

"I think you're in trouble." He whispered against the shell of her ear and smirked when she shivered in his grasp. "It's unfortunate that I have to hand you over. I'd love nothing more than to run my hands over every exposed inch of skin on your body."

"I like that idea of yours, Yusuke. A lot." Youko growled lowly and Kagome's eyes met with his again. She wasn't wholly uncomfortable with the situation, but he could clearly read the anxiety in her eyes. It was still too soon for her.

"Um, we have company. Hojo, a reaper and a brunette girl!" Shippo stated quickly, stepping in front of his fellow fox to shield him from view and Youko cursed before relinquishing his control.

"Fuck. It's Keiko and she doesn't look happy at all...not that she ever looks happy." Yusuke released Kagome's wrists and leaned his forehead against the back of her head. "I really don't want to deal with her."

"I trust that the two of you can deal with them?" Kagome glanced between the two foxes, who both nodded, "Why don't the three of us retreat to those docks over there?"

Kagome was glad for the interruption. It gave her time to calm her nerves. She tugged on Yusuke's hand and gave Hiei a quick nod before the three of them walked away.

"Don't you dare walk away, Yusuke! You owe Hojo an apology!" Keiko yelled out and Yusuke groaned while rolling his eyes.

"I'm afraid there is no reason for Yusuke to apologize." Shippo spoke as Keiko got close enough to hear him.

"Shippo is right." Kurama added.

"Don't give me that crap, Kurama! Hojo's eye is closed shut and turning purple!" Keiko glared at the two foxes before shouting over at Yusuke again, "I knew you'd act like this! I knew you would get jealous, but you didn't have to hurt him!"

"Is she saying..." Yusuke began.

"That Hojo is _her _boyfriend?" Kagome completed his sentence, then together they burst into laughter; continuing to walk towards the docks and ignoring Keiko. Hiei smirked and followed.

"Yusuke really didn't punch Hojo, Keiko. Kagome did." Kurama replied, moving to stand in Keiko's path. He wouldn't let her pass. Kagome would not tolerate Keiko's harsh words and in the end, Keiko would end up hurt.

"And he deserved it for speaking so poorly about a guy that died protecting her" Shippo added, eyeing Hojo and the reaper off in the distance. "Did he tell you that Yusuke hit him?"

"He didn't have to tell me!" Keiko snapped, her eyes narrowing on Shippo, who raised an eyebrow at her outburst, "I know Yusuke's work when I see it!"

"Ah, that is a valid point." Shippo nodded a few times, "It technically is Yusuke's work. He does train Kagome almost everyday."

"We're not lying to you, Keiko." Kurama stated, and Keiko knew he was telling the truth, because he had used _that _tone with her; the tone that he used when he was being serious and professional. The voice she knew she couldn't fight with.

"Fine. What ever." Keiko turned on her heel and stalked off, leaving two highly amused foxes behind.

"I don't like her." Shippo said quietly, scrunching his nose in disgust. "Yusuke's better off without her."

"You just want him to hook up with Kagome."

"Better him than you!" Shippo quipped before darting away from Kurama and running towards the docks to join the others.

"We'll see about that." Kurama replied to himself with a devious smirk, then followed after him.

They had sat together on the docks for an hour before temptation became too much, and Kagome pushed Yusuke into the lake. From there, it turned into an all out water war and Hiei took the time to step back and observe before they even tried to shove him into the lake. He was not dressed for such an activity and he really didn't think the girl would be comfortable if he swam naked.

A girlish shout brought his attention directly to Kagome, who was now being tossed into the lake by a very soggy Shippo. He saw it then. The way Shippo touched and held her, it was as if he was hesitant, afraid he might hurt her. But, once he had her, it became playful, perhaps even brotherly.

Well, he wasn't the best brother in the world, so he really couldn't answer that. However, it was clear to him that the younger fox held no real romantic feelings towards her.

He was beginning to wish that he knew what had happened to them all those years ago. What happened to the one called Inuyasha? How did he die?

He doubted the girl would answer his questions. She seemed highly sensitive about the subject. He wasn't sure if Shippo would be willing to answer them either.

"If you keep staring at Shippo like that, Kurama might get jealous." Yusuke called up to him and Hiei sneered. Like he'd ever touch another male! "We're going to head back to the temple. Kagome's going to make lunch. She's got a bit of a headache too, which means staying out here is out of the question."

"Why?"

"You'll see." Yusuke waved his hand in a motion for Hiei to follow, and walked back to meet up with his re-dressed friends. He gave a low, appreciative whistle. "Damn, Kagome! You look good wet!"

"Not now please." Kagome whined softly from her place on Shippo's back. "Save the lewd comments for later when I can fight back."

"I can't make any promises, Kagome. You know that." He grinned in reply, but he did back down. He knew better than to tease her right now.

They made the trip back to Genkai's temple quick for Kagome's sake, though before they even reached their destination, she was already glowing a vibrant pink. Hiei could see why leaving the public beach was important. Normal girls don't glow. For that matter, demons shouldn't be able to touch said glowing girl, yet Shippo had yet to release her. In fact, he looked comfortable and unconcerned.

"She won't hurt any of us." Kurama had caught his friend's curious gaze on Kagome and knew exactly what he was thinking. "She's able to shield her friends and allies from the purifying energy by memorizing our own auras and energies. She works with Genkai very often. Her control has improved a lot."

"Why is she glowing?"

"That is because of what she is guarding. It doesn't always behave and causes Kagome to get headaches. She's forced to expel her power as such to gain control over it." Kurama caught the slight rise of one of Hiei's eyebrows and grimaced. "It is not my place to tell you the details, Hiei. Kagome will tell you when she feels she can trust you."

"Hn."

The ordeal of the glowing priestess passed quickly, Kagome having been able to take a couple aspirin and meditate to get things under control. Lunch duties had been passed onto Yukina while Kagome went with Genkai to an empty dojo that was promptly sealed after the entered. The ice maiden didn't mind the task and even accepted Shippo's offer of help, much to Hiei's chagrin. He gave the younger fox a warning glare before leaving them alone in the kitchen.

He sought out Yusuke and Kurama, finding them sitting outside on the porch in the front. Yusuke was still muttering obscenities about Hojo and his big mouth, blaming him for Kagome's loss in control.

"It's not all his fault, Yusuke. You know better than that. When it comes to Inuyasha, the smallest mention of him in an unkind manner throws Kagome off and she lets her control slip. She was better this time. She held on for far longer than before." Kurama's words did little to calm Yusuke's anger, so the older fox shrugged it off and let him rant.

"I still wish I had gotten the chance to break his nose at least."

"I'm sure you do. Maybe some other time? He is Keiko's new boyfriend, I'm sure we may see them again."

"He'd be stupid to show his face around here." Hiei replied, ignoring the looks from his teammates and missing one set of those eyes narrow on him. It wasn't until Yusuke was too close to him that his gaze flickered back to him.

"Let me tell you something now, Hiei, since I couldn't say it earlier. Keep your hands off of Kagome."

"You would rather I let her fall?" Hiei questioned.

"You know what I'm talking about. Do not take liberties with her body or I'll break every single bone in your face." Yusuke growled, but Hiei remained impassive.

"Your possessiveness is unneeded. I have no desire to touch her. At that moment it was convenient as it provoked that boy's ire."

"Calm down, Yusuke. You know as well as I do that Kagome can make choices for herself." Kurama intervened, trying to keep from smirking as he pointed out the obvious facts. "No one has a claim on Kagome and had she disliked the manner in which Hiei did touch her, she would have dealt with it on her own."

"You don't mind him putting his claws on something you want?" Yusuke challenged and Kurama rolled his eyes.

"Of course I do, but that doesn't change the fact that it's up to her who can and cannot touch her. Besides, I trust Hiei to not over step his bounds. He's not a pervert like you, Yusuke."

"Really? You know that for a fact, Kurama?" Yusuke wiggled his eyebrows at the fox, who chuckled at the insinuation.

"Do not assume that I would ever let another male touch me." Hiei scowled darkly at them, but they waved him off and Kurama deftly switched the subject to something less hostile. He knew Hiei would only take so much of the playful teasing before he had had enough and blood would be spilled.

When lunch was done, Kagome and Genkai rejoined the rest of them for the meal. The priestess looked a little glum, but joined in the conversation whilst defending her plate from Shippo's attacks. The younger fox had only been successful once in his attempts to steal her food, but had paid the price when she cuffed the back of his head solidly.

The mood was lighter after lunch and Genkai ordered Kagome to take it easy for the rest of the day, something the priestess wasn't against in the slightest.

But her relaxation was very short lived. Seconds after she sat down to read a book, both Yusuke and Kurama sat down next to her; one on each side. Kurama carefully extracted the book from her hands, while Yusuke used two fingers to turn her head towards him. The look he gave her made her swallow hard and she knew she was in deep trouble.

"So then...mind telling us what that was all about earlier?" Yusuke questioned and Kagome understood what he was referring to and quickly tried to think up an excuse. She really didn't want to tell them the truth.

"No lies now, Kagome. You know very well we can tell when you are lying." Kurama let his hand fall gently on the top of her head, making her flinch.

"I...don't know what you're talking about."

"Look at that, Kurama. Just seconds after you tell her not to lie, she does it anyway. We should punish her." Yusuke smirked down at her.

"Yes, I do believe a punishment is in order." Kurama dropped her book onto the table and turned to face them, "This is your last chance, Kagome. You can tell us what you were up to earlier, or we will make you regret not telling us."

"I'm not scared." Was her weak protest and Yusuke chuckled.

"Another lie." Yusuke sighed and shook his head. "She'll never learn."

"Very well. I warned you." Kurama poked his finger into her side and Kagome jumped and squeaked, attempting to squirm our of Yusuke's hold. Neither male let her move away and soon their fingers were locating every spot where she was ticklish the most.

"No, no! Please...stop!" She cried out between the giggling, kicking and slapping as much as she was able. The boys laughed at her, but they did not relent. They knew better.

"You could always tell us, Kagome. We'll stop if you do." Yusuke grinned, knowing she'd cave soon enough.

"Okay!" Kagome shouted and the fingers stopped their movements. She slapped their hands away while she fought to regain her breathing. She rose to her feet and faced them. "It's just...I'm still not telling you!"

It was a cheap, underhanded trick, but also a very clever maneuver by their little priestess and once the barrier she had thrown up around them came down, they would give chase. Try as she might, she couldn't hide from them.

Kagome ran to where Shippo was sitting outside with Yukina and Hiei, who sat silently in the tree above them. The three of them looked at her as she approached. She ducked down behind Yukina and pouted.

"Yuki! You have to help me! Yusuke and Kurama are being mean to me!"

_'Yuki?' _Hiei blinked slowly at the way the girl shortened his sister's name. Yukina didn't seem to mind the nickname and she turned half way to speak to the priestess.

"Did you upset them?" She questioned.

"No! They snuck up on me while I was trying to read!" Kagome answered and gasped when Kurama and Yusuke finally emerged from the temple. "Really! They were...were..."

"Were, what, Kagome?"

"Never mind!" Kagome jumped to her feet and backed away.

"Shippo, if you would?" Kurama motioned towards Kagome and Shippo slowly rose to his feet.

"Don't you dare betray me, Shippo!" Kagome pointed her finger at the younger fox, "I will never forgive you!"

"I've heard that before!" Shippo laughed. He gave her a quick wink and stepped closer. His hand reached for hers and in seconds she was on his back and he was taking off into the thick forest.

Yusuke laughed loudly at the move and Yukina giggled. With a soft sigh, Kurama's form shifted to Youko.

"That little runt." He muttered quietly to himself before following. There was no way that Yusuke could catch Shippo, but Youko knew all of the kit's tricks. He'd catch up to them in no time.

Shippo cursed loudly, making Kagome laugh. It would only be a matter of minutes before Youko would catch them, but, for now, Kagome would enjoy the chase. Shippo's speed was very impressive and she knew he was way faster than Inuyasha had ever been. That thought brought her some comfort because she knew Inuyasha would be proud of Shippo if he could see him today.

Youko cut them off abruptly, forcing Shippo to skid to a halt a few feet away, but he tightened his hold on Kagome and she did the same to him. Shippo wasn't handing her over without a fight, especially not to this fox.

"Give up." Youko said, cracking his knuckles and flexing his claws. "Your actions will be punished, kit. But, I will make it less severe if you hand the girl over now."

"Not going to happen, my friend." Shippo grinned, taking a few steps backwards.

"You can't expect to escape? Tracking you has always been easy."

"But, I have Kagome with me this time. Surely you know she's capable of her own underhanded tricks?"

"Yes, I am familiar with a few." Youko's eyes narrowed on Kagome, who laughed in reply. "Which will make this capture all the more sweeter. There is so much to get back at her for that I'm full of anticipation."

"Don't look at her like that." Shippo's low snarl forced Youko to bring his gaze back to him. The younger fox was scowling angrily at him and Youko raised one eyebrow slightly in question.

"Why? Are you jealous? Should I direct such a gaze on you instead? I wasn't aware that you were _that _attracted to me."

Kagome sputtered and giggled, covering her mouth in an attempt to keep the sounds from escaping. She couldn't help it though. It wasn't often that she was near Youko when he was being playful enough to crack jokes.

"I changed my mind." Shippo turned his head away and pouted. He turned his body around and Kagome gasped. "You can have her. I have no need to protect her when she laughs so freely at my expense. Do with her what you will."

She clung tightly to Shippo after he released her, but both foxes were easily able to extract her from the younger fox's back. Kagome continued to laugh though, despite what she knew she was in for once she was in Youko's grasp.

"Traitor." She gave Shippo an half-hearted glare, then squeaked as Youko tossed her over his shoulder. "I can walk you know! Put me down!"

"I will when you answer Yusuke's question." Came a calm reply and Kagome blinked as the one holding her reverted back into his red-headed self. His ability to switch between them had always fascinated her. "Now, you just stay quiet until we get back. You're in enough trouble as it is."

Kagome, of course, was far from quiet as they trekked back. She shouted, kicked, pulled Kurama's hair and punched at his back, not that any of that bothered him or even hurt him.

Yusuke laughed loudly as they emerged and Kagome's ranting and protesting fell silent. It was time she resigned herself to the fact they wouldn't leave her alone until she told them the truth.

"That's quite the catch you have there, Kurama." Yusuke circled around his friend until he could face Kagome directly. He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked, "Now then, mind answering my earlier question, Kagome?"

Kagome's reply was to stick her tongue out at him, an action she should have known better than to do to him. Her eyes widened at his closeness and at the feel of his fingertips brushing just across her cheek. The longing look he was giving her pained her and he must've seen a change in her eyes because he stepped back. He cleared his throat and waited for her to answer.

"I was just, " She started off quietly, her gaze averted to the side, "...trying to anyways...to, well, I guess make you jealous. Which was so stupid...because, well, it was Hojo and though he may be cute, he's, quite frankly, boring and clueless and...it really was a pathetic attempt and Hojo got hurt...which isn't what I wanted to happen at all."

"He deserved what he got regardless." Shippo muttered and motioned for Kurama to put her down, which he did, "And, believe me. Your plan did sort of work. Yusuke was jealous."

"Of what? That guy was an idiot!" Yusuke shouted out in protest.

"An idiot that Kagome dressed up for mind you...and, Kagome, that skirt was entirely too tiny! Don't wear it again!" Shippo scolded her, shaking his index finger back and forth like she used to do when she scolded him when he was little.

"I like that skirt!" Kagome's voice was echoed by Kurama's and Yusuke nodded his head vigorously in agreement.

"Besides, I'd love the opportunity to take it off of her." Yusuke added, which had Kagome reacting quickly and covering Yukina's ears.

"Don't you dare start spouting crap like that in front of Yukina!" She hissed.

"I second that." Hiei growled, coming down from the tree he had been relaxing in.

"She's going to learn eventually. Or have you not noticed a certain fox slowly gravitating closer and closer to her?" Yusuke shot a pointed look to Shippo who froze. Hiei's ruby eyes gazed over at him, but Shippo didn't budge.

"At least he doesn't say vulgar things in front of females." Kagome shot back and grinned when Hiei's gaze went back to Yusuke. "I don't want to have to explain things to Yukina _again _because of your mouth."

"Again, detective?" Hiei asked and Yusuke held his hands up in defense.

"It's not my fault that Kagome provokes me to behave in such a fashion!"

"You act as though you never behaved in such a way before you met me! Perhaps I should call up a certain brunette ex of yours and see what she says on the matter?" Kagome threatened and Yusuke scowled at her for mentioning _that _girl.

"No need. I'm well aware of the way Yusuke runs his mouth." Hiei's expression gave nothing away and Kagome was impressed with how stoic he was. She really hadn't ever met someone like that since Sesshomaru.

But, clearly Yusuke knew better, probably because he knew Hiei better. He backed away, his steps matched by Hiei and then Yusuke was off, shouting out one last promise of pain to Kagome.

"Oh, look at that!" Kagome laughed as she removed her hands from Yukina's ears, "It's getting late. Shall we see to dinner, Yukina?"

"But..." Yukina pointed at Hiei and Yusuke.

"They'll be along shortly." Kurama smirked over at Shippo, who paled. "You two girls go on inside. We'll make sure they don't kill each other."

Seeing where the smirk was directed, Kagome chuckled, "Have fun, Kurama."

"We will."

Kagome led a confused Yukina back towards the temple. She gave one last look over her shoulder at the boys. Only Hiei and Yusuke were visible. Shippo and Kurama were no where to be seen, and if Kagome had to guess, she'd believe Shippo to be fleeing from the older fox who probably didn't like hearing that Shippo was starting to stray. Kurama couldn't have that.

With a small giggle at the day's events, Kagome wondered how long days like these would go on. Because she knew peace couldn't last forever and there was always something lurking around the corner out to get her and what she protected.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Enigmatic Anomaly

**Author: **inuyashagirl5

**Rating: **M

**Genre: **Action/Humor/Romance

**Pairings: **Kagome/? (unknown at this time), Other pairings may pop up during the fic.

**Warnings: **Violence, Suggestive Situations, Sexual Situations and Adult Language.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

**A/N: **This chapter contains a very naughty Youko. So let that be a warning in advance.

* * *

Chapter Three:

She was moving slowly, quietly, down the hallway. It was still early. The only ones that could possibly be up this early were Genkai and Hiei. Genkai was always and early riser and Kagome knew that not all demons needed beauty sleep. The most notable that she knew was Sesshomaru, whom she envied for both, not needing as much sleep and still looking so damn hot without it. Some things in life were just not fair.

Getting into Yusuke's room was easy. His loud snores drowned out her soft footsteps, making it easy for her to move about and set up her prank. The alarm clock was set to go off in a half an hour and was set to blare an obnoxious, long, piercing alarm. It was something that may likely wake up the rest of the occupants within the temple. If that were the case, she'd have to play along at first. But, she knew the demons would know that she was lying and that she was the culprit. It was a good thing that she knew how to barricade her own room or else she would never get any safe sleep. Yusuke would still seek revenge, but at least she would be well rested when he launched his surprise attack.

She left his room as silently as she had entered. As she clicked the door shut, she was startled by Hiei's voice.

"You are up early." His claret eyes were narrowed on her as she spun around to face him. She took a couple deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart, then managed to respond.

"You startled me."

"Clearly. What were you doing in Yusuke's room?"

She couldn't help but smirk, "Starting a war. You may want to leave the area. Hate for you to be accused of being my accomplice."

She only grinned and fled back to her room, leaving Hiei to decide for himself where he wanted to be.

He watched her leave, then glanced back briefly at Yusuke's door. He was curious to know what she had done to start the so-called war. It would be interesting to see Yusuke's retaliation to her antics as well. He smirked, then wandered back to his own room to wait.

Not more than a half an hour later the answer made itself well known and even from where Hiei sat, he had to cover his own ears to shield out the sound. He came to the conclusion that the girl had a death wish.

The alarm didn't last very long and then Yusuke was slamming his door open and glaring at the others who had convened in the hall.

"Which one of you is responsible?" He scowled at most of them, only Yukina being looked over. "Dammit! I want to know who the guilty party is and then I'm going to kick their ass!"

Yusuke was livid and Hiei's lips twitched with the urge to smirk. Yusuke caught the slight movement and narrowed his eyes on him. Hiei wasn't amused with that.

"Do I look like the type to pull such a prank?"

Yusuke contemplated his words and concluded that he was not the perpetrator. Hiei was not the type to pull a stunt like that. The person had to be light and sneaky. Someone that knew his sleeping habits and what it would take to wake him from a deep sleep.

"Yukina, Shippo, the two of you can head back to bed. I'm sorry you were forced to wake up to this." Yusuke spoke calmly. Shippo blinked sleepily, further proving to Yusuke that he hadn't known a thing about it. That left only Genkai, Kurama and Kagome.

He looked over each of the three. Genkai looked unfazed by the events or his gaze. Kurama looked nearly feral at having been awakened so early and so rudely. Kagome looked sleepy as she leaned against the wall and dozed.

"My money is on Kagome." Shippo yawned and moved into Yusuke's room, ignoring Kagome's gasp. He only took a few steps inside before it was confirmed.

"Well?" Yusuke was at his side, sniffing the air as well, but his nose wasn't anywhere near as good.

"She's evil and needs to be punished." Shippo gave him a long side glance and smirked. "We should think of getting revenge."

"Then how about we play a little game?" Yusuke grinned, "We won't let on that we know it was her and in the meantime, we can plot out a suitable counterstrike. I'm sure Kurama would love to help."

"Judging by how pissed he looks, I'm sure you're right."

Yusuke motioned with his head for him to follow and together they re-entered the hallway where everyone still stood.

"Well that's strange. Your nose is far better than mine. I was sure you'd pick up on something." Yusuke shrugged. "I give up. I'm going to break that piece of crap and head back to bed."

Kurama muttered incoherently under his breath and returned to his room, slamming his door shut behind him. Yukina followed after Genkai, moving towards the kitchen to start preparations for breakfast. Shippo and Yusuke both returned to their own rooms, leaving Kagome and Hiei alone in the hall. Hiei smirked, then turned to walk away.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" She asked quietly with a grin.

"You'd be wise to watch your step." He answered, then left her alone.

"Crap." She laughed quietly. "Best I get some extra sleep then."

She made sure to seal her room with a barrier before slipping back into bed. She'd take Hiei's words to heart. She knew there would be payback eventually.

When she joined them for breakfast a few hours later, Kagome's worries were confirmed and she knew she was in deep trouble. Though the group acted polite and happy to see her, she could tell that only Yukina was genuine in her greetings. That meant that even Genkai would participate in what ever retaliation Yusuke had thought up since this morning.

In other words, she was totally doomed. Her best chance at survival lie in sticking close to Yukina. They wouldn't do something to her if there was the possibility of Yukina being involved too.

As if sensing her thoughts, Genkai smirked and spoke. "Thank you again, Hiei, for taking Yukina into town to buy sewing supplies. Take as long as you want. These four idiots will be busy with a training exercise and I feel better knowing Yukina is out of harms way."

Yeah. She was totally doomed and then some. She didn't let her worry show on the outside and continued to eat her breakfast. She could feel Kurama's gaze at her on and off, but she chose to ignore him for now. He was probably angry that she had disturbed his beauty sleep, or worse, Youko was ranting about it in his head.

Now that she thought about it, he was probably the one she had to be careful of the most. She could trick Yusuke and Shippo, but he wouldn't fall for her usual tactics of distraction. He was a lot smarter than that.

"If you're all done head outside and wait for me." Genkai ordered. The three males all rose to their feet together. Kagome stared at her empty plate and groaned. She hated getting right to work after a meal. She always ended up feeling queasy. "You too, Kagome."

"I'm going." She pushed herself up from the table and followed the boys outside.

She chose to sit away from them while they spoke quietly to each other. Closing her eyes, Kagome focused her aura outward and checked for unfamiliar auras. There were a few common demon auras around the temple, ones that were allowed there by Genkai. Then there were animal auras. Nothing special, she mused, and drew her aura back into herself.

"You are going to play a game of hide and seek." There was a smugness to Genkai's tone that put her on guard. She already knew who was going to be sought. "Kagome, you have exactly twenty minutes to hide yourself anywhere on the grounds. After that, the boys will give chase. No using your demon strengths though. We wouldn't want it to end too quickly, would we?"

"Not at all." Kurama answered calmly, a small smirk gracing his features. Yup, totally a set up.

"What are you waiting for, Kagome? You've already wasted a minute and a half of your time." Genkai grinned at the priestess.

"You are so evil." Kagome hissed before taking off into the woods.

"Evil? No, I can be much worse." Genkai replied with a chuckle. "You boys best be ready. I'm cutting her hiding time in half."

"You're being extra evil, Grandma. Glad you're on our side today." Yusuke laughed.

"Let this be a warning to all of you. I do not like being awakened in such a manner."

"Threat taken and noted." Shippo said with a slight cringe. He never wanted to be on her bad side ever. He'd heard horror stories from Kagome and it was enough to get him to behave while at the temple.

Kagome grumbled as she ran. There was no doubt in her mind that Genkai would throw disadvantages at her. It wasn't bad enough that she set three demons out to find her, no, Genkai would do more.

_'Note to self... The next prank cannot effect the whole temple. Lesson learned.'_

She was thankful she knew the area well and she had a few solitary locations she retreated to when she wanted to be alone. She'd head there and hope for the best.

Kurama's head was beginning to ache the more Youko ranted. The spirit fox was more than pissed, he was on the border of going feral. He muttered over and over, promising that the girl would pay dearly for her prank. He didn't like being disrupted from his rest in such a fashion. He had been having a very nice dream involving himself, Shippo and Yusuke and Kagome's shrill alarm had ruined everything.

_'That's no reason to ponder such troubling scenarios.' _His human half scolded him, making mention of the things he was planning to do once they caught her.

_'Shut up.' _Youko seethed. The scenarios running through his head were perfectly acceptable in his opinion.

_'I'd rather you wouldn't use that. That is not acceptable.' _His human half's complaining wasn't helping any and Youko tried again to take over. _'Knock it off, Youko. You're not gaining control.'_

_'Your diminished anger upsets me. You were enjoying that dream too!'_

_'That is beside the point. What you are thinking of doing to her in revenge is inexcusable. You'll lose her trust!'_

_'Feh! I'll be teaching her an important lesson!'_

_'That goes beyond teaching her a lesson and you know it!' _Kurama groaned as Youko tried gain control again. His head was really bothering him now and he didn't think he'd be able to hold Youko back much longer. _'Reconsider, Youko. She trusts you. Do you want to damage that? What about Shippo? He won't...'_

_'He'll understand!' _Youko tried pressing forward again. His human half was weakening. Soon enough he would be able to take control of their shared form.

They paused briefly as a delicate floral scent drifted along the breeze and for a brief moment Kurama lost himself in the beauty of the scent that was distinctly Kagome. Of course that brief moment was short lived as Youko seized the opportunity to gain full control.

_'No, Youko!'_

"Too late." He answered smugly and flexed his fingers. "You just sit back and be quiet. I have a naughty priestess to punish."

Kagome quickened her pace, certain someone else was close to her location. It hadn't been twenty minutes since she had left and she silently cursed Genkai for lying to her. She wasn't surprised that Genkai let them give chase early. Genkai was really mad.

"So not fair." She muttered to herself. She came up short as a vine shot up and snaked around her ankle and then over her knee. Three more vines followed, one wrapping around her other leg and the other two reaching for her wrists. "Fucking hell, Kurama. They're too tight!"

When Youko landed before her, Kagome's eyes grew wide. She wasn't expecting him to be in control. His eyes were cold and unfriendly, something that had never been directed at her before and she didn't like it.

"I don't want to hear you." He answered, another vine snaking up along her body to wrap itself around her mouth, keeping her from speaking. She mumbled incoherent obscenities until he snarled angrily. Flinching, Kagome went quiet. He stalked closer and, unable to watch him, she closed her eyes.

"Open your eyes." He commanded, but her reply was a mumbled negative. She wasn't going to cooperate and he would punish her for it.

The vine covering her mouth tightened and tugged back, forcing her head to be tilted back and her neck to be exposed to Youko. He wasted no time in dragging his fangs over her pulse point, showing her how easy it was to dominate her in that moment.

"I'm going to punish you now. I do hope you'll learn your lesson this time as I don't think I'll be able to control myself this well should it happen again."

She stiffened as another vine wound its way up her leg and thigh, slipping beneath her dress and sliding into her underwear to caress against her flesh.

"Unh!" She tried to wiggle away, afraid of what he was allowing to happen.

"Don't struggle. It only further tempts me to let it penetrate you fully." He gave a nip to her neck, "I won't let it if you're still. However..."

She felt the tip of the vine open and ooze out a cool, slippery substance. "Urk..."

"You may end up begging me to let it fuck you in the end." He smirked, "I won't though... No matter how much you plead, I won't allow you to have your release."

The end of the vine rubbed gently back and forth over her folds, spreading its substance over her more and Kagome could feel the heat grow between her thighs. Youko pulled away, but didn't go far. He took a seat in front of her, watching as his plant did all the work for him. His human half was shouting now, but Youko ignored him. He wasn't giving up his control until he was ready.

Kagome was writhing, her eyes still clenched shut as her body heated up in ways she never felt before. He could smell her arousal, so heady and intense. She was already drawing near her first orgasm and just as she started to reach that peak, the vine pulled away and she whimpered.

"A few more times perhaps? I am not satisfied with this result." Youko replied, his golden eyes darkened and focused only on where the vine was touching her intimate spot. His human side protested louder and continued to fight for control. Youko snarled, gaining an echoed whimper from the girl before him, reminding him of his task.

"Once more... I want to see it better..."

The vines resumed its work and Kagome's whimpers grew in volume. He was allowing the very tip to penetrate only a little, giving very shallow strokes and drawing back to yet again caress against her sensitive flesh. Her muffled groans and whimpers excited him to the point he wasn't aware just how close she was to reaching that peak he had wanted to deny her. With eyes clenched tightly shut, Kagome's body erupted. Youko growled at his inattentiveness and fled, allowing the vines to release her, letting her drop to the ground below. He dismissed his human half's scolding as he willingly allowed him control yet again. Cursing angrily at himself, for his lack of control, and at Youko, Kurama opted to return to the shrine to wait out what would undoubtedly be a painful wrath of a justifiably pissed off priestess.

Kagome crumpled to the ground when she was released and angry, frustrated tears sprang forth immediately. It wasn't the first time Youko had felt the need to dominate and humiliate her, but it was the first time he had gone this far and she was crushed. It was one thing to smack her bottom in front of her friends, as he had done in the past, but this was so very wrong.

She had yet to open her eyes, but she knew he was no longer there. She felt gross and the substance the plant had produced was still effecting her. She needed to head to the lake and wash off before even bothering to head to the temple. She really hoped Yusuke and Shippo didn't have any plans for revenge. She didn't think she had it in her to deal with it right then.

She began walking in the direction she knew the lake was in, taking small steps as walked. She hissed as her thighs rubbed together, further stimulating her over sensitive body. At this rate, she knew she'd be a quivering mass of flesh on the ground with a few more steps. She cursed Youko, and moved on, biting her tongue hard to distract herself. The pain worked little as her body shivered with another orgasm. She groaned as she leaned against a tree and waited for it to pass so she could continue.

She was panting heavily as she reached the lake and had reached the conclusion that she hated the silver-haired fox with every fiber in her being. If she saw him again, he was getting his dick purified and that would be the end to that.

Instead of striping down and jumping in, she left her dress on and dived right in. The water was blissfully frigid, cooling her heated body down quickly. She used her fingers to wash away the last of the substance. Her body was done, it seemed and she could breathe easier knowing her walk back would be better.

When she was to the point her teeth were chattering with the cold, she pulled herself up onto the dock and sat there watching the water. Immediately her mind went back to how Youko had treated her and she pulled her knees up to her chest and cried. She couldn't ever remember a time she had been that humiliated by someone. Even the boy in third grade who had thrown mud at her butt and chanted that she had pooped her pants didn't compare to this.

That was how Yusuke and Shippo had found her. Yusuke had smirked, but Shippo put his hand up to stop him from advancing.

"Something is wrong." He said quietly, "She's upset..."

Shippo blinked as Yusuke quickly stepped around him and approached where she was. Kagome didn't move when he spoke to her, and Yusuke gave a very worried look back at him. Shippo was by her side in under a second.

"Kagome, what happened?" He scooped the shivering girl into his arms and sat with her in his lap. Her response was a hiccup and a soft sob. Shippo's nose twitched as he picked up Youko's scent on her neck. Shippo growled lowly, understanding now that her current state of distress was probably caused by the older fox. "What the fuck did that bastard do to you, Kagome?"

"Huh?" Yusuke was surprised by Shippo's quick change from concern to anger. Kagome only shook her head and cried harder into Shippo's shoulder.

"Don't protect him. I don't care if he is our friend. I will not allow him to hurt you."

Kagome shook her head again, more proof that she wasn't going to talk about it.

"What's going on?" Yusuke questioned, tired of being left in the dark.

"Youko did something to her. I can smell him on her..." Shippo seethed, "And she's refusing to tell me. I guess I'll have to find out myself what he did."

Shippo handed her over to Yusuke, though she tried to cling to the younger fox and keep him from leaving, but he was far stronger than her. He was preparing to leap away when she cried.

"Please, don't, Shippo. Don't go looking for answers... I can't bare to think of it... I feel so ashamed." She buried her face in Yusuke's shoulder, but the action only fueled Shippo's anger and ignited Yusuke's own.

"Tell us." He demanded.

"If he did something terrible to you, we have to put him in his place. Tell us."

Kagome perked slightly at Shippo's choice of words and grinned against Yusuke's shoulder. She would have her revenge and he would suffer humiliation the likes of which he had never, ever felt before.

"No, but thanks to you I have an idea how to pay him back for what he did." She held up her hand when Shippo opened his mouth. "No. I will not tell you what he did to me. I only ask that you assist me in exacting my revenge. Oh, and please do try to wait on getting your revenge on me for my little prank this morning. I need to be in top form for what I have planned for Youko."

"But, what about Kurama? Will it effect him?"

"No." Kagome answered with a shake of her head, "I'll make sure it's something only Youko has to suffer through."

"Fine. Let's get back. If I'm getting cold, then you must be freezing." Yusuke hugged Kagome a little tighter and she laughed.

"I am freezing!" Kagome clung to Yusuke, who chuckled and lifted her into his arms to carry her. Shippo chuckled at the sight of them. It was more than obvious to him that there was a unique attraction between them and though some may protest such a union, he wouldn't. Yusuke was a nice guy and he would protect Kagome with his life.

Kagome grinned to herself as Yusuke carried her back to the temple. Right now, she had these two on her side and what she was going to do to Youko would not be protested by either of them. Once it was all said and done, Kagome promised herself she'd treat Shippo to a super big extra helping of pocky and lollipops. After all, he deserved it for giving her the perfect idea for revenge.

_'Forget purifying his dick off... This will be far worse.'_

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**_A/N:_**A few small things to say here. One, the next chapter is almost complete too so it should be out within a couple days. Two, if this chapter offended you, I guess I'm sorry. Three, please humor me and vote in the poll located in my profile. It's been stuck in a tie for at least a month now. Four, I have a Facebook page merely for update and chatting purposes. If you want to "like" my page, please do so and feel free to drop me a message. I'm on that silly website at least once a day. The link is located in my profile.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Enigmatic Anomaly

**Author: **inuyashagirl5

**Rating: **M

**Genre: **Action/Humor/Romance

**Pairings: **Kagome/? (unknown at this time), Other pairings may pop up during the fic.

**Warnings: **Violence, Suggestive Situations, Sexual Situations and Adult Language.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Yu Yu Hakusho is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

**A/N: **A WORD OF WARNING. There is heavily _implied _Yaoi within this chapter. If you dislike Yaoi-ish stuff, well, I'm not going to apologize for it, but at least I gave you this warning. Consider yo'self warned.

* * *

Chapter Four:

She moved about the temple as if she had a purpose. Those who could feel her pulsing, furious aura did their best to steer clear of her, especially a red-headed male who knew she was searching for him. He was glad she was projecting herself so vividly because he didn't want to confront her. Not until he was less angry at himself.

He could kick his own ass for letting his control slip just the slightest and letting Youko gain free reign. His plans for revenge were a lot less harsh and their relationship would have been better because of it.

_'You damaged it, Youko. It'll take so much to repair it.' _He gave a frustrated huff and quickened his pace.

Youko didn't bother to respond and Kurama turned the corner only to be surprised by the appearance of Kagome at the other end.

_'Well this isn't going to be good. I thought she was behind us...'_

_'She made you think that. She's more skilled than you giver her credit for.' _Youko finally spoke up, though now was not the best time to do so. _'Turn and run.'_

'Do not move from that spot!" She shouted, rushing to catch up to him. Behind her came Shippo, Hiei and Yusuke and Kurama knew he had no chance to escape.

"Kagome..." He said her name softly, sad to see her so angry and knowing he was partially to blame.

"I don't want to talk to you. I want to talk to Youko." When he made a motion to protest, she added firmly. "Now."

"I wouldn't piss her off, Kurama." Shippo replied calmly from the side. Yusuke and Hiei were with him, though the hybrid had no idea what was happening.

"I don't think it's wise to..."

"Now." Kagome cut him off, her aura jumping with her anger and her eyes taking on a eerie pink glow. Kurama swallowed, then shoved Youko forward with a quick, _'Don't you dare get us purified!'_

"If you're looking for an apology..."

"Stop talking." Kagome was quick to cut Youko off too and the fox narrowed his eyes on her. "I don't want to hear you. Just accept your punishment like a good little kit."

"Ooh... Those are fighting words!" Shippo chuckled quietly.

"My punishment? I haven't done anything towards you that you did not deserve, little girl."

"You know damn well you crossed the line with your actions today!" She hissed, tears springing forth, but she did her best to hold them back. He flinched a little, but wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing. Shippo's soft laugh and quiet murmurings about the motion made him turn his amber glare on the young fox.

"I don't see what you think is so funny."

"You should just be lucky she didn't tell us what you did to her." Shippo replied with a snarl. "When we found her..."

"She was crying and neither of us liked that very much at all." Yusuke added.

"Don't worry, Youko. I chose a very fitting punishment for you."

She held back her laugh as his legs were bound by thick threads of her power, then his arms and mouth, binding him much in the same fashion he did to her. Once he was secure, she stepped up to him to run her fingers across his throat.

"Damn that sucks. Remind me never to get her this angry." Yusuke whistled lowly.

"I dunno. It might be fun to see you get bound by her." Shippo answered with a lecherous grin and a shrug.

When Kagome reached into her pocket, an audible clack of wooden beads could be heard and Shippo drew in a breath. He watched her step away from Youko and pull out a very familiar object. Youko snarled when he saw it and pulled against his bindings. They were tight, but Kagome's methods of binding never lasted too long. He would be free soon and he wouldn't let this happen.

"Hold still, Youko. Or I'll draw on Genkai's power to tighten it." Kagome held her hands in prayer position, the wooden beads draped over them. "And, yes. I can draw on her power while she's not near me."

She let her eyes slip close as she chanted, whispering the words to place the subduing spell on the demon who had wronged her. The beads snapped apart, circling and glowing around Youko's neck and then in one quick burst, they snapped back together and settled against his chest. Kagome opened her eyes as she pulled her power back and let Youko free.

"Take them off." He growled and advanced on her. She smirked and muttered quietly.

"Kneel."

Shippo did all he could to quiet his laughter the second Youko's form dropped to his knees and stayed there.

"Subjugation beads... Dare I ask what Youko did to deserve them?" Genkai asked as she entered the room, having felt the surge of Kagome's power while she was across the temple. She whistled lowly while Youko struggled to stand. "They're strong. You must have been really mad at him."

"He humiliated me and if he's smart, he won't do it again. I can add three more words of subjugation to this necklace. Kneel is only the first."

Youko snarled as the power keeping him on his knees intensified by her speaking the word again.

"I didn't deserve this and you know it." He growled, trying with all his might to move despite the spell.

"No, you deserve a lot more, but you're lucky that I'm feeling pity for your sake and holding back!" She angrily answered.

"Take it off."

"You shouldn't have touched me inappropriately." Kagome retorted and out of anger she yelled, "Kneel! Dammit, Youko... I thought I could trust you... I can't believe..."

She let the tears come and glared one last time at him before turning and running away.

"I should have known." Shippo spoke as Kagome was well out of hearing distance. "At least she's able to get some revenge... I doubt you'll be in the clear anytime soon, so you might as well let your better half have control."

Youko snarled at Shippo's words, but the younger fox stood his ground and he knew Yusuke would have his back if needed. Youko was pulled from the surface and he went willingly, allowing Kurama to emerge again. The necklace was gone, but Kurama could still feel it's power within him as he ran a hand over his chest. It could have been a lot worse.

"I think it's best if I take off for a couple days. I should visit my mother anyways." He replied solemnly and walked off towards the exit.

"You did try to stop him, right?" Shippo called out, making the red-head pause in his steps.

"Yes, I did what I could the whole time. He was just too determined and forceful that I was unable to get back control." Kurama answered honestly.

"How bad was it?"

"He shouldn't have done it. He shouldn't have even thought about it, let alone act on it." Kurama shook his head and frowned, "Keep an eye on her, Shippo. The vine he used..."

"I'll kill him!" Shippo growled, "He used _that _vine on her?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

Shippo grunted in frustration and turned on his heel. "Master Genkai, I think I'm going to need your help with this... You can leave now, Kurama. I can't guarantee I won't try to strangle you if you're still here."

Kurama said nothing as he turned and walked away. Yusuke, curious about the vine, followed after Shippo and Genkai. Hiei had nothing better to do than to tag along as well. It seemed as though he'd missed a good day to be at the temple.

"What's the deal about the vine, Shippo?" Yusuke asked curiously.

Shippo huffed, but answered. "It's commonly used in instances when a demon wants to take a woman who is undoubtedly too small for the male to fit. He didn't go that far, as I could smell her purity when I was near her. Which means, he used it more as a stimulant and if I had to guess, he probably used the thing to molest her too."

"If that is the case," Hiei spoke up, understanding exactly what Shippo was explaining, "Then the girl was well within her rights to subdue him as she did."

"And then some." Shippo nodded. "It's unlikely she'll give full details to us males, but..."

"You want me to pry." Genkai stated.

"There is the chance the lubricant could make itself known again. Washing it off with water doesn't always get rid of it and I'd hate to have her being... uncomfortable with us around. If it did penetrate her even just a small bit... it's bound to cause problems. In that case, she'll need to bathe again, but in hot water and with a good soap... which I'm sure she has because she's Kagome and she's always bathing..."

"Alright." Genkai agreed and continued on to the priestess' room. "But you three will stay out and no eavesdropping either."

Kagome angrily wiped the tears from her cheeks as Genkai slipped into the room. The old woman could see how torn the girl was over the incident and silently scoffed. This girl was entirely too soft for her own good.

"He got what he deserved. Do no second guess yourself. Now sit down and tell me everything he did. Shippo believes that there could be problems in the immediate future if it isn't dealt with properly."

Though she disliked retelling what happened, Kagome did as she was asked and told Genkai everything. Well aware that Shippo, Hiei and Yusuke were near enough to hear, she kept her tone soft. She didn't want them to know exact details because it could damage their friendship and she didn't want to feel guilty about that as well.

"And that's that..." Kagome finished, feeling a bit of her anger resurface. One slightly raised eyebrow from Genkai had her power simmering down to a calm level.

"I stand by what I said. He deserved what he got." Genkai replied. "What I want you to do is take a hot bath and scrub wherever that vine touched with a strong soap. There is a chance the effects could return, so let's make that as minimal as possible."

"R-Return?" Kagome asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Shippo was warned by Kurama which vine was used. That was his suggestion." Genkai answered. "Before he returns to the temple, please think about how you will co-exist with Kurama. I cannot have your teamwork strained."

"I do not hold him responsible. I can tell that he didn't want Youko to do what he did and I made sure he was unharmed when I placed the subduing necklace on Youko. But, I do hope he'll stay away for a few days."

"He will. It has been awhile since he has visited his family." Genkai chuckled. "Plus he won't know how to confront you. He'll think it over for a while. Go on now. Go take an extra long soak. You're excused from the rest of today's training."

"Thank you." Kagome rose swiftly to her feet, hurrying to gather clean clothing. A nice, long soak in a hot tub was just what she needed right now.

"Oh, Kagome?" Genkai paused at the door and glanced back at her with a stern gaze.

"Yes?"

"Do not be as stupid next time. I hope I got my point across."

"Lesson learned!" Kagome chirped with a sheepish blush.

"Good." Genkai smirked as she left and Kagome giggled.

Closing the door behind her, Genkai gave the trio of waiting males a once over and then waved them away with her hands. There was no need for them to be standing around outside Kagome's door. The girl had enough to deal with without there being nosy demons.

"Is she going to be okay?" Shippo asked as he fell into stride with the old psychic.

"Of course she will be, dumb-ass. This is Kagome we're talking about." Genkai rolled her eyes at the fox. "You should know that better than the rest of us."

"She's never been through something quite like this before. She's been accosted before, maybe even felt up a little, but not like this. Given the fact it was a close friend probably made it worse."

Now that he thought of it, it made him a little angry too. How dare Youko do something so severe that it could alter his friendship and trust with Kagome for a long time.

"Since you both have some unresolved aggression, head outside for a sparring session. It'll do you both some good." Genkai ordered, her eyes narrowing on the fox in observation. This one was not in a good mood at all. "Come on now. Don't dawdle."

Shippo and Yusuke were forced back into training, though their minds were not set to the task. Yusuke's thoughts were on the girl inside the temple, worrying whether she was really alright. He wondered if he'd be able to find a moment to sneak away and check on her himself. He hated seeing her so upset and he wanted to scoop her up into his arms and hold her close.

_'When did you become such a sentimental softy, Yusuke?' _He laughed at himself.

Shippo, however, had become seething mad and wanted nothing more than to get away and follow Kurama to his home and teach him a lesson. It didn't matter that Youko was the one at fault. He needed someone to vent on and Kurama was more than good enough.

_'Forget this bullshit.' _He broke away from Yusuke's attack and swept the male's legs out from underneath him. With a frustrated snarl, he shoved Yusuke hard to the ground and then darted down the stairs.

"What the fuck was that about?" Yusuke groaned as he sat up. "Shit that hurt."

"Kurama is in for a troubling afternoon." Genkai commented with a sigh. "So much for getting work done. You might as well go shower. This day isn't going as planned, so find a way to amuse yourself."

"I can do that."

"Stay away from Kagome." She added, watching as Yusuke's shoulders drooped. "After the day she has had she needs time to herself."

"You just don't want me near her in case her symptoms come back."

"That too."

**oOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Had anyone been bothering to look they may have seen the brownish-red blur streaking down the stairs. The fox's mind was only on one thing and one thing only. Putting Kurama in his proper place beneath him.

In the distance he could see the vibrant red hair of the fox avatar. He was already aware of Shippo's approach and had turned to wait for him. Shippo snarled, the sound echoing throughout the trees and putting Kurama on guard.

_'He's aroused and thinking to top you. How are you going to deal with him?' _Youko asked, annoyed that Shippo was behaving so poorly. He knew he had taught the kit better than that.

_'I won't deny him release, but he will only find it if he's on the bottom. No one tops us.'_

_'Then let me teach him an important life lesson. Release me.'_

_'As you wish.'_

As Shippo leapt towards them, Kurama relinquished control to Youko. It didn't stop Shippo's forward momentum and only further enraged him. He didn't want to see Youko. He wanted Kurama.

"Switch back. I don't care to see you." Shippo stopped himself from tackling the silver fox. "I don't want you."

"The result will be the same regardless."

"Switch."

Youko was quick to grab the younger fox, pushing him chest down onto the ground. He pressed his body against Shippo's back and roughly grasped the back of his neck between sharp teeth. This kit was a few hundred years too young to be pulling rank on him. Shippo struggled, but it was useless.

"Submit to me and I'll give you the relief you seek." Youko gave a husky growl as Shippo pressed back against him, a sure sign of submission, but he wanted to hear the words come out of his mouth before he continued. "Say it."

Shippo hated being weaker than Youko. He had always been the weaker demon, no matter which demons he traveled with. He didn't want to give in and submit to the older fox. This was the one who had humiliated the person who meant the most to him. He honestly didn't want Youko. Not at that time, at least.

"Not you." He answered with a low growl. He would not submit to Youko, no matter how much he hurt him. Kurama on the other hand... "Kurama is way sexier than you are."

"We are one."

"You are not the same. You are two different sides to one coin." Shippo replied with a smirk. "I want him, not you."

"You have no choice."

"I will not submit to you. I refuse."

"I can break you."

"Go ahead and break me. See how much more that puts you on Kagome's shit list. I do believe she said she can place three more words on that shiny new necklace of yours. I wonder if she'll take requests?"

"You are like a puny kit hiding behind your mother's tail." Youko sneered.

"Mother? That's laughable considering some of the things I have thought of doing to that girl. I have never and will never view Kagome as my kin, but she is someone whom I will protect with my life for her life is far more important than my own."

_'I'm taking over.' _Kurama pulled on Youko, the silver-half loathing to give up control, but doing so anyways.

_'Fine. There will be other days anyway...'_

"Do not think you will be reversing positions with me." Kurama whispered against Shippo's ear. "I am just as strong and just as cunning as Youko is."

"I'm counting on it." Shippo said in reply, turning his head enough to kiss him briefly. "At least allow me to turn over."

"No." Kurama answered with a cocky smirk. "I happen to like you in this position.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOo**

With nothing much else to do, Yusuke sat with Hiei and Yukina, the trio settling in to watch a movie. With the ice maiden being present they had to settle on something tame and, in Yusuke's opinion, boring. It wasn't like she hadn't seen violence before, but Hiei was choosing to shelter his sibling. He didn't want her to become corrupt by the human world.

_'Human world ain't got nothing on the shit I've seen in the Demon world.' _Yusuke yawned and decided it was a good time for a nap on the sofa.

"Are you tired, Yusuke?" Yukina softly inquired, her ruby eyes watching him closely.

"Yeah, a little. I didn't get much sleep after Kagome's prank this morning."

Yukina giggled. "Her sense of humor is unlike any other."

The comment cause Yusuke to chuckle and Hiei to smirk.

"I still haven't come up with a suitable counterattack." Yusuke glanced Hiei's way and then at Yukina. "Any suggestions?"

"Well, she doesn't like leeks. I could sneak them into a soup." Yukina offered.

"You're so evil, Yukina!" Yusuke laughed loudly.

"I was already awake this morning, but that alarm was terrifying. It really startled me."

"Me too." Yusuke admitted. "Especially with it right next to my head."

"Your defense is really low when you're asleep. The girl was smart to utilize your weakeness." Hiei commented. "I was impressed."

"You would be." Yusuke rolled his eyes. "You know, Hiei, your smirk this morning was a little on the suspicious side. I thought for sure you were involved."

"Not involved, but I could have stopped her."

"You bastard. You knew!"

"Of course."

"Why didn't you stop her?"

"I had no reason to." Hiei shrugged. "It taught you a lesson, didn't it? Never lower your guard around someone who will take advantage of a weakness. You should be thanking her for teaching you a basic skill."

"Why you little..."

The trio's heads all turned in the same direction as a loud growl echoed around the temple. Yusuke's eyes met with Hiei's, both equally wide with surprise. That was Shippo's voice.

"What was that?" Yukina asked, worried.

Neither of the males wanted to answer her truthfully. So settling for a short reply Yusuke answered. "Shippo finally let go of his anger from earlier. He'll be fine. Don't worry about him."

"I didn't know he was angry. Is he mad at Kagome too?"

"I think he had a disagreement with Kurama earlier. I'm sure everything is fine now."

Yusuke was pleased she let the subject drop and they fell back into a comfortable silence, watching what was left of the movie. Before long Yusuke drifted off to sleep and Yukina wandered to the kitchen to begin dinner preparations. Hiei remained where he was, perched on the window with his eyes on the outside world.

He sat there quietly for a good hour or two, watching to see if Shippo or Kurama were going to make their way back up to the temple that night. The forest had fallen silent after Shippo's outburst, no doubt the wildlife having been scared off by the sound. It was just as well that it was silent. If nothing was nearby his job of keeping guard would be easier.

His attention was drawn down the hallway at the sound of faint footsteps. Kagome looked bothered as she made a hasty escape out of the temple. Following her aura, he could tell she was heading up to the roof.

Mildly concerned, and only because she was Yusuke's friend, Hiei gave chase. In a few seconds he was on the roof and moving in closer to her.

"Why are you up here? He asked as he drew nearer the girl's spot on the roof. He paused as her scent drifted his way and he concluded that she was hiding out for a reason.

There were tears in her eyes as she looked his way and then she set her sights back on the sky above.

"I'm sure you can tell." She answered. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and gave a very fake laugh. "I can't seem to do anything right today."

She shivered in the cold breeze and he felt unusually sympathetic towards her plight. A few more steps forward and he was within distance to drape his cloak over her shoulders. Her head shot up as the fabric made contact with her skin and she peered up at him.

"Hn." Was his only reply to the question in her eyes. He sat down near her, on the opposite side of the wind's direction. He could still smell her arousal, but it wasn't as bad as before.

"Thank you." Kagome said softly as she clutched the cloth and drew it closer to herself. "I'll be sure to wash it for you in the morning."

"I don't need you to do my laundry."

Kagome giggled lightly, trying very hard not to picture the demon doing his own laundry. She almost lost it as an image of him in a pink, frilly apron entered her mind.

"No. I suppose you don't." Her lips twitched while she tried not to laugh.

"Crazy girl. What is so funny?"

"Believe me. You're better off not knowing what I'm picturing right now."

"Hn." He didn't really want to know anyway.

"Why are you out here?" Kagome asked as her eyes moved back to the sky again.

He only offered a shrug. It was typical of him to patrol around the temple while he was there. No one ever asked him to do it, it was just something he did. Danger lurked everywhere and he would let it get near Yukina.

"I just am. Do you always ask so many questions?"

"Do you?" She countered, her eyes shifting to look at him. He scowled and she answered. "Yes. Especially when I am unfamiliar with the one I am speaking with. I don't know you at all. I only know your name and that you are allied with Yusuke and Kurama."

"That's all you need to know." Hiei shot back quickly and she giggled again.

"Fine. It's not like you're the first stubborn demon I have spoken with." She replied with a shrug of her own. _'Though he is one of the cuter ones...'_

At the stray thought she blushed and looked away. Her body reacted as well and she pressed her thighs tighter together. His nose twitched at the increase of her scent.

"How long are you going to force yourself to suffer through this?"

"I don't know." She answered quietly. "It's just not something I can deal with."

"I'm sure Yusuke would be willing."

Her scent altered as tears filled her eyes. He mentally groaned and rolled his eyes. Human women were too emotional.

"He would, but I won't let him." She rose to her feet and removed his cloak from her shoulders. "I just can't risk it."

She handed Hiei back his clothing and then dropped to the ground below. He watched her for a few seconds until she disappeared into the temple. He wasn't sure what her problem was now, but he was curious. Just what couldn't she risk by having a relationship with Yusuke?

He wrapped his cloak around his shoulders, hesitating when he caught her scent clinging to the fabric. He lifted the material to his nose and inhaled gently.

"Not too bad for a human..."

* * *

**A/N 2: **Of course if you like Yaoi-ish stuff, I'll be happy to add more in later chapters. ::Wink::


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